The Separation
by beachglass5387
Summary: A look at the sibling relationship of Tyrion, Jaime, and Cersei before the twins leave the Rock. Cersei and Jaime plan to stay together, but Tywin has other ideas. Three-year-old Tyrion isn't quite old enough to understand old enough to understand.


_**Author's Note**__: Little Lannisters! I have to say, though I love Jaime and Tyrion (and feel kind of sorry for Cersei), Tywin Lannister was definitely an epic failure as a single parent. Those kids are all kinds of screwed up, so I thought it might be fun to investigate their dynamic before they were released on the unsuspecting public. This story is set right before Jaime and Cersei leave Casterly Rock. _

**The Separation**

The servants never watched Tyrion Lannister very closely. It was easy for him, three years old and small for his age, to hide away and wander the hallways of Casterly Rock unnoticed. Sometimes, he would sneak into the library and flip through the pages of the books stacked on the lower shelves, looking at the illustrations and pretending that he could understand the words. Other times, he would creep into the kitchens and steal tarts to take out to the kennels to share with the hounds. Most of the time, however, he went in search of his older brother, Jaime.

More often than not, he found Jaime in the practice yards, training with a sword or on his horse, charging a quintain. There was a large tree near the far corner of the ring with unusually low-hanging branches, and Tyrion would clamber up to watch. Jaime always seemed to know he was there and when the Ser Ilyn had dismissed him, Jaime would wander over to the tree and swing up beside his little brother.

Tyrion liked these times the best because they were some of the only opportunities he got to see his brother alone, away from his twin. Though his sister, Cersei, had been twice as unpleasant since she had been banned from the practice grounds, Tyrion thought it was worth it to know that sometimes he was guaranteed to have all of Jaime's attention.

One morning, he escaped from his rooms earlier than usual and was on his way to the stables to watch the horses being saddled for the day's jousting practice when he heard Jaime's voice in the corridor ahead. Tyrion was about to call out when he heard Cersei answer her twin. He had learned to be careful around Cersei, who somehow seemed to hate him even more whenever she saw Jaime being kind to him.

Tyrion toddled up to the doorway and peered into the hallway. He saw that his siblings had stopped in front of an old silver platter that rested on a ledge in the wall. Both twins were dressed the same and Cersei's curls had been cropped to shoulder length to match Jaime's. Examining her reflection in the platter, she reached up a hand to feel her hair and giggled.

"Shhhh," Jaime said. "Someone will hear us."

"I can't believe you cut my hair! What were you thinking? What will I say to Septa Loranna when she sees?"

He shrugged. "Fighters don't have long hair. You said you wanted to learn."

"You cut one side shorter than the other," Cersei whispered back, reaching out to tug at Jaime's hair in retribution.

He stuck out his tongue at her and she giggled harder. Jaime caught her hand before she could pull his hair again and squeezed it tight. "I'm glad you're coming. I hate that they made you be a lady. You can't ride if you're a lady."

Cersei wrinkled her nose. "Can so. Just not as fast. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I'm not going to be a lady. I'm going to come with you and ride fast and have adventures." Her voice seemed to dare him to challenge her. Instead, Jaime smiled.

"Jaime?" she continued, her voice more uncertain. "Am I still pretty without my long hair?"

"'Course you are," he said, dropping her hand and slinging an arm around her shoulders.

"Good. I can have adventures and still be beautiful," she said, leaning against him. "Father will see. I'll be just as good as…as any boy."

"You were about to say as good as me," Jaime said.

"Well," Cersei said seriously, "if I'd been a boy, I'd be you."

"Then what would I be?" Jaime asked, his voice teasing.

"Me!" Cersei said, seriousness gone. "How should you have liked endless embroidery and dancing, my lady?"

"Not half so well as you like riding and wrestling, I'll wager," Jaime said, tightening his grip on her shoulders until he held her in a headlock. Cersei wriggled, grabbing onto his waist and forcing him to release her.

Jaime laughed and sprang away, glancing down at her chest. They squared off for a minute and then Jaime sank into a courtly bow. "We'd best hurry, my lord, or we'll be caught."

Cersei, her cheeks pink, mirrored his bow and then grabbed his hand. "Let's go!"

"Where are you going?" Tyrion asked, stepping out from behind the doorway where he had been hiding.

"What are you doing here? Go away!" Cersei said, releasing Jaime's hand and glaring down at Tyrion.

"We're riding out into the woods. I'm going to teach Cersei what I'm learning about riding and swords and-"

"Shut up!" Cersei said, turning her glare on a twin. "He's a stupid, deformed baby and he'll tell!"

"Will not!" whined Tyrion. "I want to come! I want to learn! I want-"

"Listen to me, you little imp," Cersei hissed, lunging forward to pinch his tiny arm. "You don't say a word about this or you'll be sorry."

"Let him go, Cersei," Jaime said. "He can come with us. He can sit in front of me. He's too young for swords, but he's going to have to start learning to ride soon."

"He can't come! Do you know how much trouble I'll be in if we're caught?" said Cersei, letting go of Tyrion and whirling on her twin. "He'll slow us down. And he's not going to ride or fight or do anything!"

"Don't be stupid. Of course he's going to learn to ride. All Lannister men learn to ride and fight. Father says."

"Not him. Look at him, Jaime. Father says he isn't good for anything. He's never going to be a man. He's-"

"He's our brother!" Jaime shouted over her, glancing uneasily at the tears threatening to fall from Tyrion's eyes.

"You're so blind! Don't you see what I am risking? And you want to bring him? This is not just a game, Jaime. Not for me. Is it for you?"

Jaime reached for her, pulling her to him and resting his forehead against hers. "You know it is not."

"Not a game," Tyrion echoed, careful to keep out of Cersei's range. "I'll be good. Promise."

"What good are your promises?" Cersei said, pulling back from her twin. "Or yours?" She continued, looking back at Jaime. "You said 'trust me' and then cut my hair so all the world could see what we were about. You-"

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I-" Jaime said quickly, holding his hands up.

"That's right! You never do the thinking! It's always me. I do all the thinking but it is you that have all the freedom. It's not fair!" She looked like she was about to cry and she leaned forward again, burying her face in Jaime's shoulder.

"I know. I know it's not fair," he muttered, embracing her. "I just wanted to make it right."

"He's sending you away. Soon you'll be gone, fighting for Crakehall and-"

"That's why we're doing this. If you learn to fight, maybe he'll let you come with me. We're the same. You'll be as good as me. We're-"

"And what if he doesn't? What if it is all for nothing and I am left here alone?"

"You'll never be alone," Jaime said, stroking the back of her head. "I'll be with you whenever I can, no matter what. And Tyrion-"

Cersei shoved him away. "Do not speak to me of this miserable imp! Is that all I am good for? Sitting in a castle with a deformed freak waiting for you?"

"I'm not! I'm not a freak!" Tyrion sobbed.

"Yes, you are!" yelled Cersei, advancing on him.

Jaime stepped in front of his twin, grabbing her shoulders. "Stop it! It's not his fault he's short. Just like it's not your fault you're a girl."

She slapped him. "Not my fault?" She screamed. "Not my fault!"

Tyrion shrank back away from them and Jaime grabbed his sister's wrists before she could hit him again. "I didn't mean it like that. I just…. I don't want to go away without you. Not ever."

Cersei's shoulders slumped and Jaime let go of her wrists. She raised a hand to cup his cheek where she had struck him. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

He raised a hand to cover the one resting on his face and leaned toward her until their noses touched. Then, hesitantly, he pressed his lips to hers. "You know that I don't mind that you're a girl," he said when he drew back.

"Just like you don't mind that your brother is a freak," she said, her voice bitter but her fingers still curled in Jaime's hair.

"Jaime?" Tyrion asked, his voice quavering. "What's a freak? Am I? Am I one?"

Jaime sighed. "It's all right, Tyrion," he said, pulling away from his twin and crouching down to stare into his brother's wide eyes. "Quiet now. She didn't mean it. She's just…It's that….We're just upset because father says I must leave soon to learn to be a knight."

"No! You can't leave," Tyrion wailed, flinging himself at his brother. "You can't! You said you'd teach me to ride! You said! Don't go! I don't want you to go! I'll be good!" His cries got louder and louder and Jaime looked back at Cersei, who was red- faced.

"Shut him up! He'll bring the whole castle," she hissed. "Hit him or something!"

Jaime glared at her and awkwardly raised a hand to rub Tyrion's back. "Shhhhh. Tyrion, I'll come back. I'll come back to see you."

"What is all of this noise?" Septa Loranna's voice came from the door. "Lady Cersei, have you been tormenting your brother again? Do you remember what I said about-" she stopped and seemed to take in the scene for the first time. Jaime quickly let Tyrion go and stood up, his eyes narrowing. Tyrion hiccupped.

"What in the name of the seven have you done to you hair?" Septa Loranna wailed. "And what are you wearing? Dressed up as your brother! It's not decent!"

"It's not her fault," Jaime said, stepping in front of Cersei. "It was my idea."

"Your idea!" the Septa spluttered. "Ha! You would never have done such a wicked thing on your own. I know the way of it. More trouble than the Others themselves when you're together. I told Lady Joanna, Gods rest her, I told her the best thing would be to send one of you across the kingdom." She turned to look at Cersei, moving toward her. "You! You unnatural girl! Do you know what most women would give to grow into the beauty you will be? But look at you! Running around the castle covered with bruises getting up to gods know what with that twin of yours. What man do you think will want you? What man do you think would ever be able to love you as you are now?"

"I love her!" Jaime shouted, but the Septa ignored him.

"I'm trying to do my best by you, child, for your poor mother's sake. What have I done that you should scorn me so?" The Septa continued. Tyrion edged away from her and reached up to hold Jaime's hand, recognizing the expression on his face and fearing that his brother would attack the woman.

"You have done nothing," Cersei said coldly. "You have done nothing your whole life and that is what you would have me do. I was not made to sit in silence. I was not made to be some lord's brood mare. I was not made to simper and obey when even my dwarf brother is encouraged to ride out and make his way in this world!"

Septa Loranna sighed, and looked upward. "Do not speak so harshly, child. I did not mean to be so severe upon you. What I meant to say is that you must put aside these boyish ways of yours for your own good. You need not worry about making your way in the world. As I've told you before, your lord father will keep you safe and your brother will grow to be strong and brave and he will always come to your defense. And, one day, you will marry a great lord and carry his children. But you must learn to be gentle, like your dear, sweet mother. You must learn to provide solace and kindness so these men will find comfort in your presence and draw strength from your memory while they are away defending you. Do not fight, child, it is not what you were made for. And you will be so lovely-"

"I don't care about being lovely!" Cersei exploded. "And mother's dead! She was pretty and sweet and he killed her anyway," she shrieked, gesturing at Tyrion, who stood transfixed. "I don't want to die from some lord's get! I don't want others to defend me! I want to fight for myself! I want to go with Jaime! I want to ride! I want to-"

"You will sit in your chamber until what you want is to please your lord father and the gods, as befits a young lady!" the Septa said, losing her patience and hauling Cersei back in the direction of the stairs.

"I won't! I won't! Jaime, make her stop! Jaime!" Cersei yelled, trying to twist away from the woman.

Jaime shook Tyrion off, dashed after his sister, and grabbed her hand, yanking her back toward the door. "Let her go!" He yelled. Septa Loranna, who seemed somewhat at a loss, did not let go.

Tyrion followed his brother as fast as he could, trying to make sense of what was happening. As he approached the struggle, the Septa reached out with her other hand to try to grab Jaime and Tyrion reached as high as he could and caught hold of her sleeve, pulling down with all his weight. "Stop! Leave him alone!" Tyrion yelled.

Cersei stamped down on the Septa's feet in a rage and then kicked out a Tyrion. "I hate you!" She yelled at him. "You always ruin everything!"

Tyrion backed away until he crashed into a pair of legs. He looked up to see the Lord of Casterly Rock looking down at him in disgust. Tyrion, who feared his father more than his sister, scuttled back in the direction of the Septa and the twins, none of whom had noticed Lord Tywin's arrival.

"What is the meaning of this?" Tywin Lannister's voice suddenly seemed to fill the corridor and Septa Loranna and the twins let go of each other immediately. "Septa, why are you and my children tussling like street urchins in my hallway?"

"My Lord," the Septa began, her eyes darting nervously from the three children to Lord Tywin's boots. "The young lady…She…Jaime….They…"

"Quiet, woman. I can imagine well enough. Cersei," Tywin said, looking down at his daughter. "Explain."

"We were going riding, father," Cersei said, eyes darting menacingly at Tyrion.

"Riding?" Tywin said, his disbelief evident in his tone. "I believe that Jaime is not allowed to ride unaccompanied beyond the practice yards. Is that true?"

"Yes, father," the twins answered together.

"And I forbid you from going to the practice grounds, Cersei. Did I not?"

"You did, father," Cersei said.

"So it would seem that there is nowhere that you and Jaime are permitted to ride together alone. Do you disagree?"

"No, father," the twins chorused sullenly.

"And Jaime, I recall that I forbid you from lending your clothing to your sister. Is there something wrong with my memory?"

"No, father," Jaime replied, sounding defeated.

Tywin turned back to Cersei. "Did you cut your hair?"

"I-" Jaime started, but Cersei elbowed him hard in the ribs.

"My hair was cut, father" she replied carefully.

"A diplomat's answer," Tywin said, face impassive. "Not a daughter's."

"Father," Cersei said, "I…I'm a Lannister. I want to fight and win and do credit to our house! More than anything! I can! I can be just as strong and brave as Jaime, I swear it. Send me to Crakehall, too. I'll make you proud, I know I will." She held her father's gaze, her eyes both pleading and defiant.

Tyrion, Jaime, and the Septa exchanged horrified glances. No one ever dared to speak so to the Lord of Casterly Rock. Tywin was silent for several long minutes, and then, to everyone's surprise, he crouched down in front of his daughter so that their eyes were on a level.

"A lioness's answer. With such spirit, I would you had been a boy. But do not think that being a woman means that you cannot do credit to us all. I have need of you, Cersei, just as you are. I will need you to be strong and brave, but, more than that, I will need you to be clever. The sword and the lance will be your brother's weapons. You must learn to fight with your own. Learn to be a woman, child, and I swear to you that you will raise the House of Lannister as high as ever a man could hope to do with a blade."

"I...I pray it may be so," Cersei said, sounding unconvinced.

"Do not fear, daughter," Tywin said, standing up and resting a hand on Cersei's cropped curls. "I have grand plans for you. Come, we will speak of them together." He moved his hand to her shoulder and led her back in the direction he had come. "Septa, return to my daughter's chambers and inventory her belongings for travel. She will ride with me when I return to King's Landing," he called back over his shoulder. "I will speak to you later about the duty you owe me and my children and the manner in which I expect members of my household to comport themselves. Jaime, you are overdue at the practice yards. Go." He did not even spare a glance for Tyrion.

Jaime stood still, watching his twin, his father, and Septa Loranna disappear down the hall. Cersei did not look back. When they were gone, Tyrion tugged at Jaime's tunic.

"Jaime?" he said quietly.

"What?" Jaime said, his voice harsh and angry.

Tyrion recoiled, starting to cry again, sure that Jaime hated him now, too. "I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to get her in trouble! I-"

"You didn't," Jaime said, his voice softer. He knelt and put two fingers to Tyrion's temple, where a bruise from Cersei's kick was starting to form. "It's not your fault. She didn't mean what she said about you."

Tyrion didn't argue. Instead, he tried to smile at Jaime, who looked sadder than Tyrion had ever seen him.

"He's taking her away," Jaime said, "And sending me to Crakehall. I'll be the one who that's all alone. "

"Stay here," Tyrion said. "I'll still be here." It seemed hard to believe that even his father could make Jaime do anything he didn't want to do.

Jaime ruffled his hair and stood up. "I'll miss you, little brother. Maybe in time father will send you to Crakehall, too. Or maybe I'll be a knight by the time you're big enough and you can be my squire."

Tyrion's eyes grew large and round. It seemed too good to be true. "Do you really think I'll be able to fight one day?"

"Yes. There's more to fighting than size," Jaime said.

Tyrion smiled. He would be able to fight one day. Jaime said so, and his brother didn't lie.

"Well," Jaime said, trying to sound cheery. "You had my back against Septa Loranna, little brother. You had better start learning to ride if you're planning on fighting by my side."

"Really? Can I?" Tyrion asked, bouncing up and down on his short legs.

"Of course," Jaime said. "You can start learning now. I'll teach you."

"But father said you had to go practice," Tyrion reminded him.

Jaime shrugged. "I am going to practice. I'm going to practice riding in the woods with my little brother."

Tyrion grinned, his brother's impending departure, his bruises, and Cersei forgotten.


End file.
